Abstract: An extreme ultra violet light source apparatus by which EUV light can be efficiently obtained uses a driver laser which can realize a desired pulse width with substantially homogeneous intensity. The apparatus generates extreme ultra violet light by applying a laser beam to a target, and includes a chamber in which extreme ultra violet light is generated; a target supply unit which supplies a liquid or solid metal target to a predetermined position within the chamber; a laser beam generating unit which synthesizes pulse laser beams having delays different from one another to generate a single pulse laser beam or a pulse train laser beam having substantially homogeneous intensity, and applies the laser beam to the target supplied by the target supply unit to generate plasma; and a collector mirror which collects the extreme ultra violet light radiated from the plasma and outputs it.

Abstract: An extreme ultra violet light source apparatus by which EUV light can be efficiently obtained uses a driver laser which can realize a desired pulse width with substantially homogeneous intensity. The apparatus generates extreme ultra violet light by applying a laser beam to a target, and includes a chamber in which extreme ultra violet light is generated; a target supply unit which supplies a liquid or solid metal target to a predetermined position within the chamber; a laser beam generating unit which synthesizes pulse laser beams having delays different from one another to generate a single pulse laser beam or a pulse train laser beam having substantially homogeneous intensity, and applies the laser beam to the target supplied by the target supply unit to generate plasma; and a collector mirror which collects the extreme ultra violet light radiated from the plasma and outputs it.

Abstract: A temperature controller for a gas laser which controls temperatures of a plurality of temperature-controlled apparatuses including a first temperature-controlled portion requiring a high-precision temperature-control and a second temperature-controlled portion requiring a low-precision temperature-control as compared with the first temperature-controlled portion and allowing a temperature-control with a low or high temperature as compared with the first temperature-controlled portion, comprises a first temperature control portion generating a cooling agent or a heating agent for adjusting a temperature of each first temperature-controlled portion, a second temperature control portion generating a cooling agent or a heating agent for adjusting a temperature of each second temperature-controlled portion, a first piping system connecting the first temperature control portion and each first temperature-controlled portion in parallel, and a second piping system connecting the second temperature control portion an

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light source system in which parts of an EUV light source apparatus can easily be replaced. The system includes: (i) an extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus having a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated, a target supply unit for supplying a target material into the chamber, a driver laser for irradiating the target material supplied by the target supply unit with a laser beam to generate plasma, and a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light radiated from the plasma to allow the extreme ultraviolet light to enter projection optics of exposure equipment; and (ii) a lifting apparatus provided to lift and move a replacement part which is a part of the extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus.

Abstract: In an EUV light source apparatus, a collector mirror is protected from debris damaging a mirror coating. The EUV light source apparatus includes: a chamber in which extreme ultraviolet light is generated; a target supply unit for supplying a target material into the chamber; a plasma generation laser unit for irradiating the target material within the chamber with a plasma generation laser beam to generate plasma; an ionization laser unit for irradiating neutral particles produced at plasma generation with an ionization laser beam to convert the neutral particles into ions; a collector mirror for collecting the extreme ultraviolet light radiated from the plasma; and a magnetic field or electric field forming unit for forming a magnetic field or an electric field within the chamber so as to trap the ions.

Abstract: An extreme ultraviolet light source apparatus provided with a magnetic field forming unit having sufficient capability of protection against ions radiated from plasma while using a relatively small magnetic source. The apparatus includes: a target nozzle for injecting a target material; a driver laser for applying a laser beam to the target material to generate plasma; a collector mirror for collecting extreme ultraviolet light radiated from the plasma; and a magnetic field forming unit including at least one magnetic source and at least one magnetic material having two leading end parts projecting from the at least one magnetic source to face each other with a plasma emission point in between, and forming a magnetic field between a trajectory of the target material and the collector mirror.

Abstract: An EUV light source device properly compensates the wave front of laser beam which is changed by heat. A wave front compensator and a sensor are provided in an amplification system which amplifies laser beam. The sensor detects and outputs changes in the angle (direction) of laser beam and the curvature of the wave front thereof. A wave front compensation controller outputs a signal to the wave front compensator based on the measurement results from the sensor. The wave front compensator corrects the wave front of the laser beam to a predetermined wave front according to an instruction from the wave front compensation controller.

Abstract: An EUV light source of the present invention is capable of using a saturable absorber stably and continuously in a high heat load state. A saturable absorber (SA) device is disposed on a laser beam line to absorb feeble light, such as self-excited oscillation light, parasitic oscillation light or return light. SA gas from an SA gas cylinder and buffer gas from a buffer gas cylinder are mixed to be a mixed gas. The mixed gas is supplied to an SA gas cell via a supply pipeline, and absorbs the feeble light included in the laser beam. The mixed gas is exhausted via an exhaust pipeline, and is sent to a heat exchanger. The mixed gas, cooled down by a heat exchanger, is sent back to the SA gas cell by a circulation pump.

Abstract: A nozzle protection device capable of protecting a target nozzle from heat of plasma without disturbing formation of a stable flow of a target material in an LPP type EUV light source apparatus. This nozzle protection device includes a cooling unit which is formed with an opening for passing the target material therethrough, and which is formed with a flow path for circulating a cooling medium inside, and an actuator which changes a position or a shape of the cooling unit between a first state of evacuating the cooling unit from a trajectory of the target material and a second state of blocking heat radiation from the plasma to the nozzle by the cooling unit while securing a path of the target material in the cooling unit.

Abstract: A method for cleaning collector mirrors in an EUV light generator in which a target is made into a plasma state and EUV light generated is collected by a collector mirror, the method being adopted to the EUV light generator for cleaning contaminants adhering thereto, the method comprising: preparing at least two collector mirrors; locating one of the mirrors at an EUV light condensing position while locating the other mirror at a cleaning position; determining whether the mirror at the cleaning position is cleaned while determining whether the mirror at the light condensing position requires cleaning; and once determined that the mirror at the cleaning position is cleaned and the mirror at the light condensing position requires cleaning, conveying the mirror at the light condensing position and requiring cleaning to the cleaning position while conveying the mirror at the cleaning position and having been cleaned to the light condensing position.

Abstract: An ion withdrawal apparatus that withdraws ions emitted from a plasma in an EUV light production apparatus in which a target at an EUV light production point is irradiated with laser light to be made in a plasma state and the target emits EUV light, the ion withdrawal apparatus which includes: a collector mirror that is disposed in a direction opposite to a laser light incidence direction to collect the EUV light and has a hole for the ions to pass therethrough; magnetic line of force production means that produces a magnetic line of force that is parallel or approximately parallel to the laser light incidence direction at or in the vicinity of the EUV light production point; and ion withdrawal means that is disposed on the opposite side of the collector mirror from the EUV light production point and withdraws the ions.

Abstract: The higher efficiency and lower power consumption are realized in a laser system for generating a high-power short-pulse laser beam. The laser system includes a laser oscillator for generating a pulse laser beam by laser oscillation, plural amplifiers for sequentially inputting the pulse laser beam generated by the laser oscillator and amplifying the pulse laser beam, and a control unit for controlling the laser oscillator to perform burst oscillation and halting an amplification operation of at least one of the plural amplifiers in a burst halt period between burst oscillation periods.

Abstract: An extreme ultra violet light source apparatus in which debris staying and accumulating within a chamber can be prevented from contaminating the chamber and deteriorating the performance of important optical component. The extreme ultra violet light source apparatus includes: a chamber in which extreme ultra violet light is generated; a driver laser for applying a laser beam to a target supplied to a predetermined position within the chamber to generate plasma; a collector mirror provided within the chamber, for collecting and outputting the extreme ultra violet light radiated from the plasma; an exhaust path communicating with the chamber and connected to an exhausting device, for maintaining an interior of the chamber at a certain pressure; a catching chamber provided in the exhaust path, for catching debris generated from the plasma; and a collecting unit for collecting the caught debris out of the chamber.

Abstract: A laser device, which includes an oscillator unit having a rectangular-solid-shaped housing containing a laser oscillator for generating and outputting a laser light; an amplifier unit having a rectangular-solid-shaped housing containing an amplifier that receives and amplifies the laser light to output; and, a group of optical elements including optical elements provided on a laser light path, wherein the laser device includes one or more amplifier units, and the oscillator and the amplifier units are arranged such that surfaces having a wide area other than a surface having a smallest area of a housing of the oscillator unit and a housing of at least one amplifier unit are next to and face each other, or such that surfaces having a wide area other than a surface having a smallest area of a housing of at least two amplifier units are next to and face each other.

Abstract: An extreme ultra violet light source apparatus by which EUV light can be efficiently obtained by using a driver laser which can realize a desired pulse width with substantially homogeneous intensity. The apparatus generates extreme ultra violet light by applying a laser beam to a target, and includes a chamber in which extreme ultra violet light is generated; a target supply unit which supplies a liquid or solid metal target to a predetermined position within the chamber; a laser beam generating unit which synthesizes pulse laser beams having delays different from one another to generate a single pulse laser beam or a pulse train laser beam having substantially homogeneous intensity, and applies the laser beam to the target supplied by the target supply unit to generate plasma; and a collector mirror which collects the extreme ultra violet light radiated from the plasma and outputs it.

Abstract: A collector mirror exchanging apparatus capable of safely and easily exchanging a collector mirror for collecting extreme ultra violet light emitted from plasma generated within a chamber of an extreme ultra violet light source apparatus. The collector mirror exchanging apparatus includes: a supporting base for supporting a collector mirror or a collector mirror structure; and a guiding rail disposed on the supporting base and regulating a moving direction of the collector mirror or the collector mirror structure; wherein at least the collector mirror is taken out of the chamber by moving the collector mirror or the collector mirror structure along the guiding rail on the supporting base.

Abstract: A driver laser for an extreme ultra violet light source device capable of suppressing self-oscillation light, amplifying a laser beam efficiently, and reducing a device size. The driver laser has an oscillator for generating a laser beam to output the generated laser beam, and at least one amplifier for amplifying the laser beam output from the oscillator to output the amplified laser beam. The amplifier includes a discharge unit which amplifies the laser beam by using energy of a laser medium excited by discharge, a feedback mirror which leads the laser beam output from the discharge unit to the discharge unit, a polarizer which leads the laser beam output from the oscillator into the discharge unit and also reflects the laser beam output from the discharge unit to a predetermined direction, and a self-oscillation light filter which attenuates self-oscillation light output from the discharge unit.

Abstract: A debris collector for EUV light generators is disclosed which enables to improve durabilities of optical units in a chamber including a collector mirror, to keep the vacuum degree in the chamber, and to suppress decrease in EUV light output by efficiently collecting debris bumping into the collector mirror at high speed from a target transformed into a plasma or debris adhering the collector mirror. A laser light irradiator (10) is so arranged that the irradiation direction of a laser light (L) is opposite to the traveling direction of a target (1). A debris collector (30) for collecting debris (3) is arranged in the travel path of the target (1).

Abstract: An EUV light source device for protecting a collection mirror from debris that is considered harmful to a mirror coating. The EUV light source device includes: a chamber in which extreme ultra violet light is generated; a target injection unit and a target injection nozzle that supply the chamber with a material to become the target; a laser light source that applies a laser beam to the target so as to generate plasma; a collection mirror that collects the extreme ultra violet light emitted from the plasma; an X-ray source that ionizes neutral particles included in particles emitted from the plasma into charged particles; and plural magnets that generate a magnetic field within the chamber so as to trap at least the charged particles ionized by the X-ray source.

Abstract: A debris collector for EUV light generators is disclosed which enables to improve durabilities of optical units in a chamber including a collector mirror, to keep the vacuum degree in the chamber, and to suppress decrease in EUV light output by efficiently collecting debris bumping into the collector mirror at high speed from a target transformed into a plasma or debris adhering the collector mirror. A laser light irradiator (10) is so arranged that the irradiation direction of a laser light (L) is opposite to the traveling direction of a target (1). A debris collector (30) for collecting debris (3) is arranged in the travel path of the target (1).